10 Sure Ways on How to Get Your Dog to Love the Vet

Every dog will at some point in their lives, need to pay a visit to the vet. Pets visit the vet either for wellness care or sick care. Some dogs love visiting the vet while some don’t. If your dog does not enjoy the visits, you need to know how to make them love the vet. Your dog will learn to love or dislike the vet depending on the prods, pokes as well as other unpleasantness that goes with the treat. How can you make the experience between your dog and the vet a joy?

Here are 10 sure ways on how to get your dog to love the vet;

Car Tripping

If you only carry your dog in the car just when visiting the vet, your dog will most likely associate the car with the bad experience. This makes the dog nervous and anxious whenever you want to lift them in the back seat of your car. To avoid this, it’s important to mix it up. Try taking the dog to other enjoyable rides like hikes or to any other store where dog pets are welcome. This will help the dog gain a good attitude towards traveling.

Additionally, if you have a dog carrier for the dog, avoid using it just on the days when you visit the vet. In fact, you can make the carrier a part of the household furnishings. For example, you can place it in the laundry room where the pet sees it daily. When the dog becomes used to the carrier, it becomes easier and more comfortable for the pet during the visits.

Crowd sourcing

This is not common but very effective. It works where you have many pets. You can take them all to visit the vet. Your aim is to get them love the place by treating and praising them. It’s just one pet that gets the real visit, but all the dogs get a good experience. This will teach the dog that visiting the vet is fun.

Private appointment

Some dogs fear other dogs. If this is the case for your dog, you should consider booking an appointment with the vet when it’s quiet. The vet will let you know the right time to pay a visit depending on the schedule. You can also contact the vet before the visit to ensure that the atmosphere is right for your dog. When you park at the clinic, you can leave the dog inside the car and notify the vet and the staff of your arrival.

Make the dog hungry

It is easier to distract a hungry dog that a dog with a full belly. Therefore, before taking the dog for the visit, it is advised that you skip the meal to ensure that the dog is hungry. Will this kill your dog? You should then carry with you the favorite cookies for the pet. They will be tastier for the dog once you get to the vet.

Try Good scents

Some scents smell good for you dog. They are effective in calming your anxious pet. You can try spritzing some on the cushion of the dog carrier and consider spraying even more on a towel that you may put on the carrier. The best scents mimic the scent of the cookies making the carrier feel like a cozy den for the dog. This makes it easier for the vet.

Get the dog to socialize

Most of the time, you take you dog to a particular vet in a particular clinic. You need to visit the vet for fun once in a while. Just stop by and offer the dog some treats, get the dog weighed on the scale with some dried liver and some extra attention from the staff. The visit does not involve restraints or pokes, and this will be very important for future visits.

Positive note

After examinations and vaccinations, get the dog to calm down. You may even spend a few minutes in the exam room with the favorite treats for it. Alternatively, you can hang out in the clinic’s waiting room until the dog settles. If the dog finds it hard to relax in the office, you can consider spending a few minutes outside the vet’s office before heading back to the car.

Get him used to it

Most dogs find it hard to tolerate being handled all over. You can try pushing on his abdomen, stretching his legs with care as well as reaching his back. Practice touching the ears, mouth, and the eyes. You should also teach your dog lay on the side. In the clinic, the vet will more likely examine the pet with this body position. Therefore, the more the dog is used to it, the better. Train the dog to be comfortable with having his paws held to avoid fights with the vet.

Reward your dog

Most dog owners miss a mark on rewarding the dog for the incredible behavior. Getting the dog sit, lie on his side, stand still during examination and treatment deserves rewarding. Therefore, you should carry a Liver, a steak, a boiled chicken or any other favorite meal for your dog as a reward. Wouldn’t the dog enjoy visiting the vet again if you rewarded him with a boiled chicken for the visit? Now, ensure that you carry these treats with you and notice a difference. You can even do this at home while trimming your dog’s nails. Set the treats on the ground and ask them to lie still as you trim their nails.

Chemical help

No matter the training you may offer to the dog, it’s hard for some to love the vet. Therefore, you can talk to your vet to offer a prescription to him as a mild antianxiety during your next visits.

Conclusion

Do you have to face more drama with your dog on your future visits with these strategies? It may take much of your time and energy to put the strategies into place but its worth. You only need to observe patience and your dog will love the vet without a doubt. Remember that your dog is different from others and will cope differently.

Try the above 10 strategies on how to get your dog to love the vet and be the next success story.